Feeding. Newborns should be fed when they seem hungry. Breastfed infants eat about every 1 to 3 hours, and formula-fed infants eat about every 2 to 4 hours. Your doctor or nurse watch you breastfeed and offer help with any problems. Burp your baby midway through a feeding and again at the end.

Peeing and pooping. Newborns should have about six wet diapers a day. The number of poopy diapers varies, but most newborns have 3 or 4 soft bowel movements a day. Tell your doctor if you have any concerns about your newborn's bowel movements.

Sleeping. A newborn may sleep up to 18 or 19 hours a day, waking up often (day and night) to breastfeed or take a bottle. Breastfed babies usually wake to eat every 1 to 3 hours, while formula-fed babies may sleep longer, waking every 2 to 4 hours to eat (formula takes longer to digest so babies feel fuller longer). Newborns should not sleep more than 4 hours between feedings until they have good weight gain, usually within the first few weeks. After that, it's OK if a baby sleeps for longer stretches.

lift head briefly when on stomach (babies should only be placed on the stomach while awake and under supervision)

have strong newborn reflexes, such as:

rooting and sucking: turns toward, then sucks breast/bottle nipple

grasp: tightly grabs hold of a finger placed within the palm

fencer's pose: straightens arm when head is turned to that side and bends opposite arm

Moro reflex (startle response): throws out arms and legs, then curls them in when startled

3. Do aphysical exam with your baby undressed while you are present. This exam will include an eye exam, listening to your baby's heart and feeling pulses, inspecting the umbilical cord, and checking the hips.

4. Do screening tests. Your doctor will review the screening tests from the hospital and repeat tests, if needed. If a hearing test wasn't done then, your baby will have one now.

5. Update immunizations.Immunizations can protect infants from serious childhood illnesses, so it's important that your baby get them on time. Immunization schedules can vary from office to office, so talk to your doctor about what to expect.

Looking Ahead

Here are some things to keep in mind until your next routine visit at 1 month:

Feeding

Continue to feed your baby when he or she is hungry. Pay attention to signs that your baby is full, such as turning away from the nipple or bottle and closing the mouth.

Give sponge baths until the umbilical cord falls off and a boy's circumcision heals. Make sure the water isn't too hot — test it with your wrist first.

Use fragrance-free soaps and lotions.

Hold your baby and be attentive to his or her needs. You can't spoil a newborn.

Sing, talk, and read to your baby. Babies learn best by interacting with people.

It's normal for infants to have fussy periods, but for some, crying can be excessive, lasting several hours a day. If a baby develops colic, it usually starts in an otherwise well baby around 3 weeks of age.

Call your baby's doctor if your infant has a fever or is acting sick, isn't eating, isn't peeing, or isn't pooping. Don't give medicine to an infant younger than 2 months old without talking to your doctor first.

It's common for new moms to feel tired and overwhelmed at times. But if these feelings are intense, or you feel sad, moody, or anxious, call your doctor.

Talk to your doctor if you're concerned about your living situation. Do you have the things that you need to take care of your baby? Do you have enough food, a safe place to live, and health insurance? Your doctor can tell you about community resources or refer you to a social worker.

Avoid sun exposure by keeping your baby covered and in the shade when possible. Sunscreens are not recommended for infants younger than 6 months. However, you may use a small amount of sunscreen on an infant younger than 6 months if shade and clothing don't offer enough protection.

These checkup sheets are consistent with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)/Bright Futures guidelines.